Vanessa White splits from Gary Salter

Vanessa White and her boyfriend Gary Salter have split up after six years together.

The former Saturdays singer and the hunky stylist - who met in 2011 through mutual friends - have called time on their six-year relationship to "figure out" what they want from life.

According to an insider, the pair will stay friends and have the "upmost respect" for one another.

A source told The Sun newspaper: "Vanessa and Gary have been together since she was 21. He's been by her side through all her successes with The Saturdays and as a solo singer.

"But they've decided they needed time apart to figure things out after being together since she was so young.

"They remain friends and have the utmost respect for each other."

It comes after it was revealed that the 27-year-old beauty has landed herself funding from a government scheme, which sees her rewarded with £5,000 to further her solo career in the US and "tap into the market of her heritage, the Philippines".

The busty brunette is now channelling an R&B sound for her music away from the 'All Fired Up' group - which was also comprised of Frankie Bridge, Una Healy, and Mollie King - which has meant that her previous pop experience has been useless to her solo career.

Recently asked what kind of foundation the girl group had given her as a solo artist.

She replied: "I guess none, because the kind of things that I'm doing is so different I can't really take anything from that. I'm grateful for it, you do learn a lot of things but I'm happy to start again."

And those hoping for a reunion of the group - who went on an indefinite hiatus in March 2015 - will have their dreams dashed as Vanessa recently admitted she can't see herself ever reuniting with her bandmates.

She said: Asked if they will reunite, she told Hunger TV: "I don't think I could go back. I've got so much that I want to do.

"There's no space mentally for me to go back.

"As time goes on, I know it just wouldn't feel right for me. This feels natural."